Predicting bone loss in Crohn's disease

Raised C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate may indicate higher rates of bone loss in patients with Crohn's disease, find researchers in the latest issue of Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

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Crohn's disease is associated with reduced bone density.

In this study, researchers from England evaluated markers of systemic inflammation to identify higher rates of bone loss, as well as the role of circulating mononuclear cells.

The team evaluated urinary deoxypyridinoline/creatinine and serum osteocalcin concentrations 22 in male and premenopausal females with active Crohn's disease.

They compared these concentrations with those found in 21 controls with quiescent Crohn's disease.

Values were not explained by vitamin D status, dietary intake or nutritional status.

Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics

None of the patients were receiving corticosteroid therapy.

The researchers also measured production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma and prostaglandin E2 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

The team determined that active Crohn's disease was associated with a higher deoxypyridinoline/creatinine and deoxypyridinoline/creatinine:osteocalcin ratio.

These values were not explained by vitamin D status, dietary intake or nutritional status.

However, the team established that production of interferon-gamma by concanavalin A-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells was lower in active Crohn's disease. This correlated negatively with the deoxypyridinoline/creatinine:osteocalcin ratio.